University of Southern Maine
On December 26, 1878, 700 people braved a snowstorm to hear 14 speeches, one of which clocked in at more than one hour, at the opening of Corthell Hall, the first university building in Gorham. The Gothic-style building was constructed at a cost of $23,170, and dedicated to the education of teachers, who were in short supply. (By comparison, USM's new residence hall, complete with apartment/suite style quarters, carries a $21 million price tag.)
Some 40 years later, soon after the end of World War I, Portland University opened on the second floor of a commercial building, located just off Monument Square in downtown Portland. The university was established in response to the lack of educational opportunities for accountants.
These two events share two things in common:
You'll no doubt hear references to snippets of USM's history during your time here:
USM's history has many twists and turns, but there's one thread running through the past 130 years: inspired teaching that transforms lives.
Here are just two among many examples:
Esther Wood, a graduate of Colby and Radcliffe, joined the USM faculty in 1930. Over the next 42 years, according to a tribute by the USM Alumni Association, she became, "respected and loved…for her teaching of the past, her concern for the present and the foundation she provided for the future."
Just last year, Professor of Theatre Tom Power and USM grad Tony Shalhoub (stars as "Adrian Monk" and has numerous film credits such as "Men in Black") were featured in the TeachersCount campaign, which pairs various celebrities with their favorite teachers. Tony remembers Professor Power as "relentless," and recalls his most meaningful lesson as, "Whether on stage or off, act human."
